


Let Me See

by WillGrammer



Category: Papillon (2018)
Genre: Character Study, Imprisonment, M/M, Short One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-02
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-08-16 18:49:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 698
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16500791
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WillGrammer/pseuds/WillGrammer
Summary: Henri watches Louis draw, and learns a new thing about him.





	Let Me See

Louis always enjoyed drawing.

 

It helped him disconnect from his surroundings for awhile, as he occupied himself with the art of drawing something in front of him with accuracy.

 The sense of pride and the amount of delight that filled him when he sharpened his skill through the years was enormous.

It was a difficult to do that when he was a boy. He often had to hide his interest, and avoid mentioning it to anyone but his younger brother.

 

Much like he did now, when serving time in French Guiana. The only time he felt safe to draw was when no one but Henri was near him.

 

And those moments were rare.

 

When he was younger it was painful to know that his parents were the last people he could talk to about his passion, but he never expected them for much.

 

No, it would be mad to expect anything from the people who brought him into this world just to hurt him.

 

Some days he remembered comparing himself to a rag doll they would pull from its hair; tear it down and stitch it back just to destroy it again.

 

-

 

Right now, as Dega sat on the ground with his notebook over his lap, open only for his own eyes to see, he delicately moved his right hand over the page, his thumb smearing the shades he made over the page.

 

The sun was high in the sky and sweat trickled down his neck. Henri was sitting against the wall behind him, blowing a cigarette, relaxing as much as one could when serving in a place like this.

 

Especially for a one that's been falsely accused.

 

“What're you drawing for so long?” the blond then muttered behind Dega's ear, and moved his head to look over his shoulder.

 

“Someone I miss,” Louis simply replied, his grey eyes never leaving the page of his notebook while he pressed his pencil down to correct some lines he made.

 

“Your wife?” Henri asked, blowing a drag of his cigarette to the other side before he continued watching the smaller man.

 

He could see how focused he was before he stretched his hand above his friend's head and snatched his notebook for himself to look.

 

Louis gasped, and turned to face him, but found Papillon's gaze dropped to the drawing over the delicate paper, his brows furrowed together to the sight of an unfamiliar man.

 

“I thought you would draw your wife.”

 

Louis licked his dry lips before he replied, his voice quiet, almost ashamed in what he was about to say.

 

“I don't miss my wife,” he told Henri, and gazed him when he raised his head from the page to watch him, looking into his grey eyes with interest.

 

He didn't say anything, and handed Louis his notebook back, rubbing at the edge his beard with his thumb before he blew another drag of his cigarette in silence.

 

“My younger brother,” the foreigner began saying, closing his notebook and keeping it safely in his lap as he did. “Joseph. I haven't seen him in years,” he told Charrière, who nodded his head.

 

“Ah,” he said, throwing his cigarette aside when he was done with it, turning his head to face his friend.

 

“I hope he's well,” he heard him sigh, and Henri watched him for a few seconds before moving his hand to tap on Dega's shoulder, rubbing it with his rough, dirty, fingers, having no other way to comfort him.

 

Dega's genuine concern for his brother was one of the things Papillon appreciated about him. He wasn't self observed. Far from it. 

 

Louis appreciated Henri's touch, and managed a small smile, nodding at the blond as he adjusted his glasses to his nose.

 

-

 

They sat in silence for a while, listening to the sound of the air piercing the sky.

 

It blew loudly as the sun began to set a few hours later, and when catching a glimpse of Louis sitting with such ease, Henri felt effected by how peaceful the man was.

 

When watching the way those grey eyes of his gazed the skies above them, Henri knew.

 

Truly, the man did not miss his wife.

**Author's Note:**

> This is basically based on the same shot in the movie where Henri took Louis' notebook away. I don't remember what happened there, since I've only went to Papillon once, and am currently waiting for it to be online so I could watch it again. 
> 
> I hope you enjoyed reading! Please kudos, and leave a comment with your thoughts below. 
> 
> My Tumblr: https://will-grammer.tumblr.com/
> 
> As always, until next time 
> 
> -Alex.


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